Well I am sticking my head out of 'study hibernation'. Just finished a post grad in Theology and just finished marking all my own students work for this semester! It's so weird living with such momentum, pace and intensity for long and then stopping! My adrenaline pumping, caffeine driven merry-go-round has slowed and my 'computer neck' is reminding me of the ride!!
I must admit, I have found stillness a bit of a challenge! I justify busyness as a sign of commitment - both at home, in the work place and in the church, busyness has been wrongly equated with commitment. But commitment to whom? Commitment to what? Good questions! I remember wondering when I began to find my value in a full schedule - which then moved me to ask what motivates my 'YES' to task and to people?
Perhaps the greater wrong is equating busyness with fruitfulness. I have noticed that I can sometimes be super efficient but not necessarily effective! I could do the catch-up with all the friends I have neglected and avoided during my 'study bubble' in a week! That would be incredibly efficient but incredibly ineffective. 'Two minute noodle' friends can't be compared to 'fine aged wine' friends!! The relationships in my world require time, listening and love - and so they require something more from me - something more than fast and furious!
And so I am relearning to 'be'. Tomorrow I will think and meditated as I lie sweating in a detox towel! The next day I will grocery shop and finish the garage clean up - because I can. This week I will make some decisions regarding my book - because I must. Next week I will retype and put the final touches to a talk I will give - because I want to. And today - well today I will walk around the lake before the sun has fully set and remind myself that although no one will see or know most of what lies behind what I do and who I am - it always presents better when I have given time to 'be'.
"Less Busy, More Fruitful" is my new mantra. I have a sneaking suspicion that it will not just simplify my life - it could just save it!!
Have an inspired week ('be' a little!)
Deb
Sunday 13 November 2011
Sunday 11 September 2011
Bithdays
Having my Birthday coinciding with 9/11 means more people than I realize remember this date! Every year since 2001 my Birthday emails, texts and phone calls have tripled! I'm hoping it's not that 'Deb' and 'Disaster' couple together in people's minds but that the simple answer is just a memory trigger!!
We watched sadly those who 10 years on remembered the escape, the loss, the fear and the continual consequence of that impact. Then we celebrated me!
Without sounding fickle, I learned many years ago through my own personal crises to never let the weight of tragedy blanket the joys of life that are everywhere if we want to see them! So then - I learned to give myself permission to laugh and look for the life I wanted knowing that in no way did it diminish what I had experienced. I practiced words of trust like "I believe", "I can", "I am not afraid" and these built bridges across valleys of fear in my wounded heart - it also made a path for others to come to places that otherwise would be a closed door.
Each of us must take on our own suffering head first! We can weep with the world around us, give a hand to the world around us, mentor, love, assist, facilitate and help build (and we should) - but we cannot take on their suffering - if we do, we fall short of the capacity to do any of the above!
It's been in learning to affirm life that I can now love unrestrained, celebrate each year with joy and look forward with hope! It's also in acknowledging suffering that joy can be fully recognized and embraced. This week I choose to thank God for my family, for my life, for my health and for my friends - how about you?
So thanks to all those who not only remembered my Birthday but thought to action it with kind words!
Mwah to all of you!
In kindness - Deb
We watched sadly those who 10 years on remembered the escape, the loss, the fear and the continual consequence of that impact. Then we celebrated me!
Without sounding fickle, I learned many years ago through my own personal crises to never let the weight of tragedy blanket the joys of life that are everywhere if we want to see them! So then - I learned to give myself permission to laugh and look for the life I wanted knowing that in no way did it diminish what I had experienced. I practiced words of trust like "I believe", "I can", "I am not afraid" and these built bridges across valleys of fear in my wounded heart - it also made a path for others to come to places that otherwise would be a closed door.
Each of us must take on our own suffering head first! We can weep with the world around us, give a hand to the world around us, mentor, love, assist, facilitate and help build (and we should) - but we cannot take on their suffering - if we do, we fall short of the capacity to do any of the above!
It's been in learning to affirm life that I can now love unrestrained, celebrate each year with joy and look forward with hope! It's also in acknowledging suffering that joy can be fully recognized and embraced. This week I choose to thank God for my family, for my life, for my health and for my friends - how about you?
So thanks to all those who not only remembered my Birthday but thought to action it with kind words!
Mwah to all of you!
In kindness - Deb
Sunday 28 August 2011
Another first for 2011
This year has marked so many 'firsts':
* First time I have had family living up here on the Gold Coast!
* First new home for Philip and I together!
* First weddings conducted for friends!
* First (actually can't mention that one quite yet!)
* First book to be translated into Russian and featured in Women's Mag in Belarus (September) and then due for release in November!
* First time to commit to regular blogging!
All worthy of thunderous exclamation marks I think. There has also been some sadness and disappointment but we refuse to let them punctuate our life. The apostle Paul gave a worthy list of things to think and focus on - whatever things are noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if there is any virtue or anything praiseworthy - think on these things.
So, I will attempt to 'blog on these things'. May you consciously remember some of your praiseworthy 'firsts' and punctuate your life with them!!
Deb
* First time I have had family living up here on the Gold Coast!
* First new home for Philip and I together!
* First weddings conducted for friends!
* First (actually can't mention that one quite yet!)
* First book to be translated into Russian and featured in Women's Mag in Belarus (September) and then due for release in November!
* First time to commit to regular blogging!
All worthy of thunderous exclamation marks I think. There has also been some sadness and disappointment but we refuse to let them punctuate our life. The apostle Paul gave a worthy list of things to think and focus on - whatever things are noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, if there is any virtue or anything praiseworthy - think on these things.
So, I will attempt to 'blog on these things'. May you consciously remember some of your praiseworthy 'firsts' and punctuate your life with them!!
Deb
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